Cook Islands Highlights

Located south of Hawaii, west of Tahiti, and east of Samoa and Tonga, the Cook Islands showcase Polynesian culture, friendly people and stunning beauty, making them a perfect choice for a unforgettable destination wedding or honeymoon.

Scattered over more than a million square miles of crystal azure water, where shimmering white beaches contrast with verdant hills lie the 15 breathtaking Cook Islands. Rarotonga, the largest of the islands, at only 20 miles around is small enough to explore by horse, bike, scooter, rental car, or the island bus. Snorkeling, diving, golf, tennis, cultural and arts and crafts exhibits, sailing and game fishing are all ideal for your pleasure on all the islands. Or to relax and rejuvenate visit Atiu which is riddled with caves and surrounded by mesmerizing raised coral cliffs, or Mauke which has beautiful white beaches with the reef close to the island, so the lagoon is shallow to enjoy stunning views. No matter what you're looking for the Cook Islands are ideal for a tranquil honeymoon or the destination wedding of your dreams.

Honeymoons in the Cook Islands

With an easygoing lifestyle and no mass tourism or high rise hotels you will enjoy a warm welcome from the friendly Cook Islanders who will proudly introduce you to their paradise islands that will enchant your romance and give you the privacy you seek. Enjoy a scenic ride by horse on the trails through tropical plantations and past waterfalls where you can stop for a secluded swim. Dine on fresh seafood in abundance in Rarotonga's renowned restaurants, or have a traditional feast or "umu kai" with accompanying dancing and drumming at select hotels and resorts. Choose an all-inclusive honeymoon package and enjoy a beautiful beachfront villa, soothing spa treatments, island hop tours, your own personal chef, refreshing concoctions, and even strawberries with champagne upon arrival. The Cook Islands will give you the honeymoon is paradise that you've always envisioned.

Destination Weddings in the Cook Islands

Everything you ever dreamed of and more. The tropical paradise offers hundreds of possibilities for your never-to-be-forgotten wedding day. The Cook Islands present a romantic backdrop, and many picturesque venues for fairytale destination weddings. You can choose to get married on one of Rarotonga's beaches, the botanical gardens, an uninhabited islet, a local church, or at your Hotel - a wide choice of many beautiful spots.
Your ceremony can be as elaborate as you wish, from the bride, groom, two witnesses and the minister, to any selected number in the wedding party. You may wear traditional wedding attire or you may prefer an island wedding with Polynesian grass skirts, head bands and bare feet. Choose an all-inclusive wedding package that may include a wedding coordinator, the marriage license and certificate, bridal car and driver, a scrumptious wedding cake, memorable photography and videography, and even a special gift. Your ceremony will be one you will always remember and want to reminisce about for years to come.

Marriage Age Requirement: Unlike in the United States, the legal age requirement to get married in the Cook Islands is 20 NOT 18. Anyone under twenty must have written authorization from a parent to receive a marriage license.

Facts for the Bride and Groom

Time Zone: The Cook Islands are ten hours behind Greenwich Mean Time and six hours behind New York.
Language: Cook Islands Maori (Polynesian) is the official language but every local speaks English perfectly well and all signs are in English.Currency: The New Zealand dollar is the official currency here but there are Cook Islands coins used also. They are souvenir items outside the Cook Islands because they cannot be exchanged. There are two major trading banks on Rarotonga and some 24-hour automatic teller machines for your convenience and travelers checks and credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.Entry Requirements: All visitors must have a valid passport, adequate financial means of supporting their stay, suitable accommodations, and posses onward passage showing they do not intend staying for more than 31 days.

Climate And Weather

Cook Islands have two distinct seasons. The cooler season, from April to October, is dry and averages 68-78 degrees F, with cool nights. The warmer season is from November to March, when temperatures rise to 71-82 degrees F. Although this is the rainy hurricane season, mornings are usually sunny, with storm clouds building up in the afternoon and the rain falling in a late afternoon storm that leaves the air refreshed.